Article

Fast-fashion – A curse for Europe’s industry and the wrong solution to the cost-of-living crisis

Until recently, the policy debate at the European Union level on fast fashion has tended to focus primarily on the environmental and social costs of this phenomenon. A recent brief by the High Commission for Strategy and Planning on its impact on the French textile sector highlights that it is also an economic and industrial issue, calling for more ambitious measures. Ahead of the upcoming European Commission proposal on a Circular Economy Act, this paper seeks to shed some light on the impact of fast fashion at the European level.

Published on : 09/01/2026

Mis à jour le : 09/01/2025

Temps de lecture

2 minutes

Download Marc Fasan's Point of view, with contributions from Diego Beaumont

From the consumers’ perspective, our research also shows that the consumption of fast-fashion clothing brings misleading benefits: while this model may appear in the short term to respond to household budgetary constraints, it is in fact an enemy for purchasing power. This paper highlights the hidden costs of mass consumption, both for households and for the European economy and local communities. Fast fashion ultimately weighs more heavily on household budgets and increases the risks of trade dependency by weakening the textile industry and local retail at the European level.

The HCSP puts forward several proposals aimed at redirecting consumer behavior, supporting low-income households, and promoting the sustainable reindustrialisation of the textile sector.

Marc Fasan

Conseiller transversal

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